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The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance on breastfeeding – extending the recommended time for parents to breastfeed their children, while calling for policy change and "nonjudgmental support" for all families' feeding choices. In policy recommendations published on Monday, the AAP maintained its guidance to breastfeed infants exclusively in the first six months of their lives, before introducing other foods to complement nutrition. Now, the AAP is also urging pediatricians to support those who choose continued breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced for two years or longer. (Grantham-Philips, 6/28)

Much of the policy — the group’s first updated guidance on breastfeeding in a decade — is identical to what the A.A.P. has said in the past. The organization continues to recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for about six months, at which point complementary foods can be introduced. The statement cites research linking breastfeeding to a range of benefits in infants, including decreased rates of lower respiratory tract infections, severe diarrhea and ear infections. (Pearson, 6/27)

Researchers have diagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy in a Major League Soccer player for the first time, saying Tuesday that defender Scott Vermillion suffered from the degenerative brain disease. The Boston University CTE Center said Vermillion, who died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2020 at the age of 44, had the disease. Although it is not possible to connect any individual case to a cause, CTE has been linked to repeated blows to the head. (Golen, 6/29)

Children who engaged in more adventurous play that elicited excited or fearful emotions had decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to those who participated in unadventurous activities, according to a recent paper published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development. "We’re more concerned than ever about children’s mental health, and our findings highlight that we might be able to help protect children’s mental health by ensuring they have plentiful opportunities for adventurous play," said lead author Helen Dodd, professor of child psychology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. (Sudhakar, 6/28)

Another day, another health study — but this one actually makes sense. According to a Rutgers study, a higher protein intake while you’re dieting leads to healthier eating. Of course, you don’t need to use this as a reason to diet, but a little extra protein intake never hurt anyone. Per the Rutgers study, “Eating a larger proportion of protein while dieting leads to better food choices and helps avoid the loss of lean body mass.” The study, which was published in the medical journal Obesity, found that participants who self-selected a “slightly higher” protein intake while dieting happened to also eat more green vegetables and reduced their intake of added sugar. The results, which correlate with many doctors’ suggestions for a healthy diet, are pretty much sounding like a win-win-win in our books. (Arneson, 6/28)

The race to find mental health treatment can feel like a marathon when you may not have the energy or ability to even make it to the starting line. You may be faced with limited affordable options and a lack of available therapists. “Prior to the pandemic, we had an inadequate workforce to meet the mental health demand of the country,” says Vaile Wright, who has a doctorate in counseling psychology and is the senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association. “And that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.” (Rathner, 6/28)

KHN: Overdose Deaths Behind Bars Rise As Drug Crisis Swells 

Annissa Holland should be excited her son is coming home from prison after four long years of incarceration. Instead, she’s researching rehab centers to send him to as soon as he walks out the gate. She doesn’t know the person who’s coming home — the person who she said has been doing every drug he can get his hands on inside the Alabama prison system. She can hear it in the 34-year-old’s voice when he calls her on the prison phone. (Dawson, 6/29)